New Delhi, July 26 - Ten people, including eight Bangladeshi nationals, have been arrested in the capital for helping people from Bangladesh illegally immigrate to Greece and other European countries via Turkey, police said Sunday.

The Special Operations Squad (SOS) of Delhi Police's Crime Branch has arrested Akram Ali, Mohammad Jahinuddin alias Badul, Kadir Miyan, Iliyas, Dipankar Day, Hayder Ali, Mohammad Shahriar Mamun, Mohammad Shah Alam Sheikh, Mohammad Helaluddin and S.M. Ibrahim in the last three days.

Police said a large number of forged documents, tampered passports and stamps of different government authorities have been recovered from them.

'The gang had a unique modus operandi and in the past eight months they sent a large number of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants to various European countries. From each illegal immigrant, they charged Rs.600,000-700,000,' said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime Branch) Neeraj Thakur.

He said Bangladeshis wishing to illegally immigrate to Europe would first contact a travel agent, who was part of the racket, in Bangladesh. This gang would then affix a forged Turkish visa on the genuine Bangladeshi passports and send the applicants to their counterparts in Delhi.

Here, their accommodation was arranged in rented rooms and their photographs taken. In the meantime genuine Turkish visas were obtained on passports issued in the name of Indian nationals.

'Then as per the age and description, the photograph of the Bangladeshi national was pasted on the Indian passport, which already had a genuine Turkish visa. This Indian passport would then be affixed with forged departure stamps of immigration authorities of Delhi,' Thakur said.